Clinton Fitch, Sr.

Clinton Robert "Bob" Fitch, Sr. of Grand Prairie died peacefully on July 14, 2017 in Cedar Hill, Texas after a brief illness.

Born October 23, 1922 in Sardis, Texas, he is survived by sons James Robert Fitch of Houston, Texas, Clinton Robert "Bob" Fitch, Jr and his wife Vinita of Grand Prairie, Texas, John Andrew Fitch and his wife Cindy of Morgantown, West Virginia, six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Clinton Robert and Thelma Garvin Fitch, his wife Denie Tucker Fitch and daughter-in-law Diane Mauldin Fitch.

Although he lived in several cities across Texas and in Tennessee during his youth, he spent a great deal of time in Waxahachie visiting and living with his grandparents, Fin and Maude Garvin. In Waxahachie, he met and married the love of his life, Denie Faye Tucker.

Although blind in one eye due to a hunting accident, he was still able to fulfill his desire to serve his country during World War II. Enlisting in 1943, he served as a parachute rigger and repairman with an emergency rescue squadron with the U. S. Army Air Corp in the South Pacific. There he prepared lifeboats for airdrop to downed air crews. His squadron was credited with rescuing 98 downed pilots and aircrew members.

He returned to Waxahachie after the war and worked briefly as a carpenter for his grandfather, Fin Garvin.

Enlisting in the Texas National Guard in 1948, he took a full-time position at the unit in Waxahachie where he served as the unit's First Sergeant. He retired after thirty-four years of service to the country.

An avid amateur radio operator for almost sixty years, he had "ham" friends around the world. He was a founding member of the Ellis County Amatuer Radio Club. Most nights for the past fifty years he was at his radio chatting with a group friends named the "Possum Trappers." He said most of the world's problems were solved during the conversations that went on until the early morning hours.

He loved camping and traveling, taking the family almost every summer to his favorite place in this world, Taos, New Mexico. In retirement, he and Denie traveled around the country in their RV.

A loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, he loved his family gatherings and looked forward to holidays so he could see his family and have a large feast.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Prairie Paws Adoption Center in Grand Prairie, Texas.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at the Sardis Cemetery, Sardis, Texas.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, 2017 at Wayne Boze Funeral Home.

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